Adapted from original artwork by Julius, this picture comes from 'Devil's Canyon II'
Other mitchmen-modified Julius images in this blog:
Sunday, 9 June 2019
Wednesday, 5 June 2019
Mitchell's A-Z of Fetish Artists - Hasegawa Part 2
 |
| Hasegawa - Dragon Castle |
The title (I think) refers to the tattoo design and is written on the picture in Malay - 'Puri Naga'.
Apart from those words you can also see other design influences and iconography that are not Japanese but drawn from across South East Asia. The model in this picture also seems to originate from that area. Hasegawa spent some years travelling in this part of the world, avoiding fame and no doubt widening his knowledge of spirituality and animalistic legends, which so often appear in his pictures.
The style of the image combined with the boy's ecstatic pose and tattoos make this seem like a ritualistic, almost religious image, a gay icon.
 |
| Hasegawa - Paradise Visions 10 |
Sadao sends a legendary creature to taunt and play with the helplessly bound young man. I believe this is Kappa, a cross between frog, monkey and turtle who, like the cats in Part 1, is capable of mischief and worse (with one particularly nasty practise, described here). In this picture he is offering the captive a drink of red liquid and the painting is spattered with spots of blue from the erotically-shaped flask at the bottom suggesting 'substances' may be involved in this fantasy. The sketched diagram to the frog's right seems to show a intention to climb the post to torment the hanging captive.
This image couples the artists interest in erotic bondage with suggestions of punishment and danger portrayed in a specifically culturally Japanese way as though he is hinting at the conservative disapproval of society for such practices.
This image couples the artists interest in erotic bondage with suggestions of punishment and danger portrayed in a specifically culturally Japanese way as though he is hinting at the conservative disapproval of society for such practices.
 |
| Hasegawa - Ground Spider |
It shows a man with his face in traditional theatre make up. He is the captive of two, larger than life, ground spiders. A storm is raging with a lightning flash visible in the background and candles guttering in the wind in the foreground. This picture echoes the plot of a famous Kabuki play where the ground spider turns on his hunters, but the final action there is nothing like this!
The hero is armed but it looks like he's been paralysed by the spider's venom so was unable to use it. Somewhere along the way he's lost all his clothes and now he's being restrained and supported by the red spider (including one leg groping between his thighs) while the other one wraps him in silk thread (exuded from its spinneret bottom right). Presumably the victim is being wrapped for future consumption, but it's paying particular attention to his cock for some reason.
Beyond the theatrical fantasy we see here a fascination with death and exotic forms of sexuality (including bondage) whose attraction seems to hinge on the fear of the unknown and of falling under the power of others.
 |
| Hasegawa - Lion Dance |
Hasegawa also uses more naturalistic 'Kabuki' scenarios to create complex carnivals of eroticism in which realistic figures dressed in the masks and impedimenta of traditional theatre create a dreamlike atmosphere. The lengths of cloth that entwine the action are the discarded fundoshi of the participants, one of them is tied round the neck of the central figure like a sexual trophy (see also comments to this post). To Western eyes it seems to have an element of threat, due to the intruding Samurai sword and the extensive use of masks and body colouring. This work is unmistakeably Japanese, not just the faces and accessories but the culture, plays and legends it invokes to create a mysterious but exciting atmosphere. The presence of the lion is a reflection of the harmonic, respectful relationship which Oriental peoples have with animals which we in the West tend to relegate to childhood entertainment like Bambi and the Lion King.
 |
| Hasegawa - Elephant Dreams |
The sun ray effect here, like the example in part one, suggests god-like
qualities in gay men and enlightenment for the dreamer with the ancient, wise
elephant spirits providing affirmation and approval. Some of Hasegawa's work is self-consciously 'arty'where he has attempted to modernise and adapt traditional forms to a gay palette, but there is plenty of meat in amongst it for aficionados of the male form and it's not always submerged in busy fantasy. Hasegawa draws the most handsome and desirable of men and generally without compromising ethnic origins. In style, his work has a semi-photographic appearance like Tom of Finland's work but there is a grainy texture in the shading which creates a most satisfying effect somewhat like pointillism.
His technique in depicting hair and stubble is striking. This interest in subtle body hair sets him apart from Tom, his anatomy is more realistic and his models have a lithe muscularity and youth which is delicate and enchanting.
His portraits of lovers can be stunning, creating a vision of tenderness and love that is unforgettable. In the example above a lover protectively embraces his tearful partner. In this context, the abundance of flowers, sprinkles of glitter and bubbles seem to be legitimate and meaningful elaborations,
emulating the joyful exuberance of South Asian weddings.
Of course you might reflect on what has caused the tears and why is the lover looking at us?
Is the yin-yang symbol (made of fishes) telling us of contradictions in this relationship?
Or is the look an expression of defiance for those who would make gay men sad?
His portraits of lovers can be stunning, creating a vision of tenderness and love that is unforgettable. In the example above a lover protectively embraces his tearful partner. In this context, the abundance of flowers, sprinkles of glitter and bubbles seem to be legitimate and meaningful elaborations,
emulating the joyful exuberance of South Asian weddings.
Of course you might reflect on what has caused the tears and why is the lover looking at us?
Is the yin-yang symbol (made of fishes) telling us of contradictions in this relationship?
Or is the look an expression of defiance for those who would make gay men sad?
In Hasegawa's world, however, even the most tender lovers (right) are haunted by ties and binding. It's as though the artist regards Bondage as akin to Commitment. This does not have to be a negative sentiment. After all, to an aficionado, bondage is a temporary restraint intended to focus and intensify the relationship between the two participants in a way that is mutually pleasurable.
Commitment can be the same.
Even the hunkiest of men can fall prey to the twining ropes. But in this image there's a disturbing hint of coercion by unseen forces. This fantasy seems to depict a yearning to restrict and control which is quite different to the submission depicted in the previous picture. The bleak setting is devoid of romantic flowers or mythological allusion.
It seems to represent a dark, soulless, lonely, sexual existence, a casting out that is chilling.
Speaking of which! The contrast with this work could not be greater. There is no romance, no distracting symbolism, except perhaps the banana stripped back to expose the raw fruit within. Raw being the right word for this sex which is of the earthiest kind. And yet it's a sexual encounter without true intimacy, involving artificial penetration by dildo and the touch of a bodily fluid that is warm but separated from it's distant producer. There's a sort of honesty in this image, as though the artist is acknowledging his true self in some way, presenting it without artifice or artistic mediation.
The loneliness that haunts other images is no more.
The words on this image are in Indonesian and read from top to bottom:-
lust-passion-magic-love-fuck
In Hasegawa's work there is so often a subtle sense of isolation, loneliness and confusion and this picture seems to draw that out. Cat's cradle is a game for two and it seems to illustrate here the mystery of partnerships, sex and love. The game goes un-played while a hairy man shaves his body, preoccupied with himself.
In summary, I can only register my profound admiration for Hasegawa's sometimes perplexing art. His depictions of men in fetishistic situations seem to me quite beautiful and the complexity and sometimes the serenity of the world he depicts strike me as showing an essence of what it is to be gay.
~
Sadao Hasegawa briefly enjoyed fame as an erotic artist after publishing 2 books of his works in 1990 and 1996. He did not revel in celebrity and sadly took his own life in 1999 at the age of 54.
His images seem to offer subtle but ultimately undecipherable clues to his feelings
His images seem to offer subtle but ultimately undecipherable clues to his feelings
His legacy however continues to thrill and inspire.
He published two collections in book form - 'Sadao Hasegawa (paintings and drawings)'
and 'Paradise Visions' They are the principal source of his work for us.
I can't find an official on-line gallery for him but there's a good collection at LustSpiel and an image search throws up lots of examples
-
This article originally published in June 2009
was comprehensively revised and extended in May 2019
Read Part 1 here
was comprehensively revised and extended in May 2019
Read Part 1 here
Sunday, 2 June 2019
Mitchell's A-Z of Fetish Artists - Hasegawa Part 1
This article replaces my original A-Z entry on Hasegawa, published in June 2009
Sadao Hasagawa produced a wide range of gay art in a variety of technical and artistic styles.
His most obvious fetish credentials stem from depictions of bondage such as that above. His pictures often include unusual, mysterious symbolism like the mischievous kittens on the right who appear to be implicated in the young man's bound-up state and have left their claw marks on his upper body*.
Meanwhile S&M clothes pegs lie unused on the floor and incense(?) smoke writhes around him
lending an air of sexual ritual to the proceedings and suggesting that there are more trials to come.
No wonder the captive looks sweaty, confused and fearful!
Hasegawa captures herethe thrill of submitting to bondage by another another man.
His depiction of the captive man is sensual, with luscious, chunky muscularity,
somewhat in the style of Tom of Finland but more grounded in realism,
such as hair detail on his body and legs.
* I gather that cats have great significance in Japan as cute bringers of good luck but also as creatures with a hidden capacity for great wickedness. However I hesitate to interpret their precise role in this picture, which I suspect is more complex than that!
This picture seems to show a man in the process of submitting to bondage - with another kitten in attendance. His face is expressionless, maybe a little sad, but the water lilies rising behind him seem to the symbolise the unmistakeable sexual excitement in the air.
The subject wears a US Sailor's cap but is unmistakeably Japanese. Westerners might relate this combination to the Madam Butterfly story or simply to the occupation of Japan after WWII. The headgear doesn't really fit with the lowered shorts but they are also somewhat Western in style. So there's a sense here of the exotic, of foreign and perhaps powerful cultural influences. His resigned face and proud posture suggests they are not necessarily welcome or considered benign.
This is one of my favourite Hasegawa pictures. The ripped clothing and restraint to angled scaffolding conjures up the idea of a jogger waylaid on his morning run and carried off to an abandoned building site for further attention. His shorts carry the same double line motif as the sailor above, again hinting at Western branding.
Hasegawa - Swimmer
There's a similar impression of Westernisation in this splendid, Speedo-clad swimmer. This time though it has a message of modernity, reinforced by the jazzy, geometric background with it's anarchistic squiggles and paint splatters.
The model oozes youthful, puppy-fat sexuality but his seductive look is knowing, his lustful state obvious and the dangling drawstrings are openly inviting. He pinches himself too, suggesting that he's got more than romance in mind.
This image makes Hasegawa's connection with American culture much clearer. It appears to be based on a photograph that could have come straight out of AMG's 'Physique Pictorial' magazines (although the mystical symbolism in the bottom corners has a touch of Gilbert and George about it). This picture is from 1979 so the referencing of 60's imagery (when Sadao would have been around 20) suggest it was a significant formative influence.
Unlike AMG's situation, the framing of Japan's censorship laws (and the passage of time) allows Hasegawa to depict the young man's, snug-fitting, 'posing pouch' in a way that reveals almost all that is within. AMG would have labelled this image as 'The Slave', but Hasegawa elevates him to Martyrdom. He defiantly holds a blood-stained quill aloft, a possible clue to his crime.
Hasegawa's Martyr picture was produced shortly after the ritual suicide of Yukio Mishima, who was a famous poet and actor of the time with views which we might regard as nationalistic today. There's an obvious similarity between his memorable pose as Saint Sebastian (above) and Sadao's picture. It reflects the profound effect of that artist and his death on Japanese society and hints at a darker side to Sadao's personality.
Mishima was profoundly Japanese in outlook and he is seen here holding a Samurai sword and wearing the traditional, male, underwear garment, the fundoshi, which consists of a single strand of fabric which the wearer winds round himself in a specifically defined manner. It's associated with manhood and learning the ritual is part of a young man's coming-of-age. The self-bondage implied has obvious sexual connotations. It not hard to see how the AMG posing pouch referenced in 'Martyr' might strike have struck a chord with an impressionable young Hasegawa.
In this 1980 picture, Hasegawa reworks the martyr theme with rope bondage in a more Japanese manner and the fundoshi taking centre stage. This martyr has been stabbed with the quill (Ã la Saint Sebastian) and the picture appears to show his final expiry with a spiritual essence emerging from his mouth, to be escorted to heaven by a hovering bird.
Hasegawa makes no secret of the eroticism he sees in this moment. The loosening of the fundoshi not only reflects that sexual tension but also represents its release from constraints, not least I suppose the constraints of what it is to be a man in Japan.
The ingredients mentioned above, i.e. US gay culture, retrospective references and dark desires, also feature in this later, collage-like work.
It shows (left) a young man in restraint in a pose that is clearly based on the classic 70's bondage image which I have previously posted in 'My initiation'. Hasegawa's subtle alterations give the figure a 'clean' appearance, so he looks young and inexperienced. There's a sense of him submitting to the dangerous unknown (embodied by the lurking snake) and he's aroused by it. (There's also an element of that in the first picture in this article)
He is contrasted with a more mature man who is undergoing, and thoroughly enjoying, the demanding rigours and domination of a full-blown, leather scene of a later era. There seems to be a story being told in this picture, recalling a young man's passage from an immature interest in male bondage to full S&M sexual expression, with the candles signifying both his burning passion and the passage of time.
I think the creature on the right gnawing at the ropes is a rat rather than a mouse. It adds an element of basement sleaze to Western eyes, but in the East they are usually seen as clever, prudent creatures. Hasegawa has given this one sharp teeth and quite evil eyes, but it's only attacking the ropes.
The nagging of conscience, perhaps?
Youthful yearnings and explorations are perhaps remembered too in this marvellous image. A young man has tied himself to a post and is enjoying a private fantasy of captivity. A lotus flower opens revealing it's full beauty and symbolising enlightenment and rebirth emerging from murky depths. However, it's a picture which also conjures up an impression of loneliness, accentuated by yet another cat which ignores the young man and pleasures itself.
In this picture there's a more obvious air of experimentation. It shows a young man developing his sexuality by tentatively exploring the sensation of penetration by a dildo (it's a vibrating one too, the electrical gadgetry being a touch of modernity which seems typically Japanese). I believe the picture is entitled 'Revelation' and that sentiment is reflected in the rays of light emanating from his head. These also seem to confer a god-like status on him.
This picture, like the preceding one, bears the 'yin and yang' symbol of spiritual balance and male and female in conjunction. There are more lotus flowers in attendance, they seem to cradle his nether regions in a manner that is highly suggestive of sensuality. Remarkably, Hasegawa manages to infuse this essentially, sexual imagery with a touch of artistic class.
The theme of solitary experimentation seems to reach a climax (if you'll pardon the pun) in this picture, in which pure, sexual sensuality almost succeeds in elbowing the mystical symbolism out of the way, leaving only hints of vulnerability (to prying eyes and sharp claws).
There's not a lot of artiness in this all-fours pose although this man and his sun-kissed bottom are undeniably attractive from a sexual point of view. Looking past that it's hard to avoid a feeling of self-abasement and isolation in this image. In some ways the trailing ropes and untended dildo give an impression of a departed partner. Regardless of that this young man is lost in the moment revelling in multiple erotic sensations and there's no crime in that.
More Hasegawa in Part 2 (next post)
ref1200
 |
| Hasegawa - Captive and Kittens |
Sadao Hasagawa produced a wide range of gay art in a variety of technical and artistic styles.
His most obvious fetish credentials stem from depictions of bondage such as that above. His pictures often include unusual, mysterious symbolism like the mischievous kittens on the right who appear to be implicated in the young man's bound-up state and have left their claw marks on his upper body*.
Meanwhile S&M clothes pegs lie unused on the floor and incense(?) smoke writhes around him
lending an air of sexual ritual to the proceedings and suggesting that there are more trials to come.
No wonder the captive looks sweaty, confused and fearful!
Hasegawa captures herethe thrill of submitting to bondage by another another man.
His depiction of the captive man is sensual, with luscious, chunky muscularity,
somewhat in the style of Tom of Finland but more grounded in realism,
such as hair detail on his body and legs.
* I gather that cats have great significance in Japan as cute bringers of good luck but also as creatures with a hidden capacity for great wickedness. However I hesitate to interpret their precise role in this picture, which I suspect is more complex than that!
 |
| Hasegawa - Sailor and Kitten |
The subject wears a US Sailor's cap but is unmistakeably Japanese. Westerners might relate this combination to the Madam Butterfly story or simply to the occupation of Japan after WWII. The headgear doesn't really fit with the lowered shorts but they are also somewhat Western in style. So there's a sense here of the exotic, of foreign and perhaps powerful cultural influences. His resigned face and proud posture suggests they are not necessarily welcome or considered benign.
 |
| Hasegawa - Athlete in Bondage |
There's a similar impression of Westernisation in this splendid, Speedo-clad swimmer. This time though it has a message of modernity, reinforced by the jazzy, geometric background with it's anarchistic squiggles and paint splatters.
The model oozes youthful, puppy-fat sexuality but his seductive look is knowing, his lustful state obvious and the dangling drawstrings are openly inviting. He pinches himself too, suggesting that he's got more than romance in mind.
 |
| Hasegawa - Martyr |
Unlike AMG's situation, the framing of Japan's censorship laws (and the passage of time) allows Hasegawa to depict the young man's, snug-fitting, 'posing pouch' in a way that reveals almost all that is within. AMG would have labelled this image as 'The Slave', but Hasegawa elevates him to Martyrdom. He defiantly holds a blood-stained quill aloft, a possible clue to his crime.
 |
| Yuko Mishima as Saint Sebastian |
Hasegawa's Martyr picture was produced shortly after the ritual suicide of Yukio Mishima, who was a famous poet and actor of the time with views which we might regard as nationalistic today. There's an obvious similarity between his memorable pose as Saint Sebastian (above) and Sadao's picture. It reflects the profound effect of that artist and his death on Japanese society and hints at a darker side to Sadao's personality.
 |
| Yuko Mishima wearing a Fundoshi |
 |
| Hasegawa - Impaled |
Hasegawa makes no secret of the eroticism he sees in this moment. The loosening of the fundoshi not only reflects that sexual tension but also represents its release from constraints, not least I suppose the constraints of what it is to be a man in Japan.
The ingredients mentioned above, i.e. US gay culture, retrospective references and dark desires, also feature in this later, collage-like work.
It shows (left) a young man in restraint in a pose that is clearly based on the classic 70's bondage image which I have previously posted in 'My initiation'. Hasegawa's subtle alterations give the figure a 'clean' appearance, so he looks young and inexperienced. There's a sense of him submitting to the dangerous unknown (embodied by the lurking snake) and he's aroused by it. (There's also an element of that in the first picture in this article)
He is contrasted with a more mature man who is undergoing, and thoroughly enjoying, the demanding rigours and domination of a full-blown, leather scene of a later era. There seems to be a story being told in this picture, recalling a young man's passage from an immature interest in male bondage to full S&M sexual expression, with the candles signifying both his burning passion and the passage of time.
I think the creature on the right gnawing at the ropes is a rat rather than a mouse. It adds an element of basement sleaze to Western eyes, but in the East they are usually seen as clever, prudent creatures. Hasegawa has given this one sharp teeth and quite evil eyes, but it's only attacking the ropes.
The nagging of conscience, perhaps?
Youthful yearnings and explorations are perhaps remembered too in this marvellous image. A young man has tied himself to a post and is enjoying a private fantasy of captivity. A lotus flower opens revealing it's full beauty and symbolising enlightenment and rebirth emerging from murky depths. However, it's a picture which also conjures up an impression of loneliness, accentuated by yet another cat which ignores the young man and pleasures itself.
In this picture there's a more obvious air of experimentation. It shows a young man developing his sexuality by tentatively exploring the sensation of penetration by a dildo (it's a vibrating one too, the electrical gadgetry being a touch of modernity which seems typically Japanese). I believe the picture is entitled 'Revelation' and that sentiment is reflected in the rays of light emanating from his head. These also seem to confer a god-like status on him.
This picture, like the preceding one, bears the 'yin and yang' symbol of spiritual balance and male and female in conjunction. There are more lotus flowers in attendance, they seem to cradle his nether regions in a manner that is highly suggestive of sensuality. Remarkably, Hasegawa manages to infuse this essentially, sexual imagery with a touch of artistic class.
The theme of solitary experimentation seems to reach a climax (if you'll pardon the pun) in this picture, in which pure, sexual sensuality almost succeeds in elbowing the mystical symbolism out of the way, leaving only hints of vulnerability (to prying eyes and sharp claws).
There's not a lot of artiness in this all-fours pose although this man and his sun-kissed bottom are undeniably attractive from a sexual point of view. Looking past that it's hard to avoid a feeling of self-abasement and isolation in this image. In some ways the trailing ropes and untended dildo give an impression of a departed partner. Regardless of that this young man is lost in the moment revelling in multiple erotic sensations and there's no crime in that.
More Hasegawa in Part 2 (next post)
ref1200
Thursday, 30 May 2019
Get Carter!
Regular readers will know I have a thing about men in shorts and this weakness led me to this image of model Frank Carter wearing deliciously skimpy cut-offs. It helps if you have thighs that fill them of course. The car wash scenario is always good for mitchmen manipulations, usually men only do it under duress - or for money. All that soapy water sloshing around makes for good erotic moments.
Photo: Men of Toronto
Discovering Frank Carter sparked one of my periodic 'hunk hunts' and further exploration led me to this image. I'm not sure what the official name of this garment is, but it's very sexy and showcases Franks curvaceous torso beautifully. It's somewhere between underwear and sleepwear and the unusual design gives that little jolt of daring that a sight of ordinary underwear used to provoke before such images became commonplace. Frank's casually seductive pose helps of course,
he seems to be saying to us "Well, are you coming or not?"
he seems to be saying to us "Well, are you coming or not?"
photo Thomas Synnamon , more
Even in an age of overexposure, some underwear can't help but make you look twice.
The bold, gold scrolling frames Frank's bulge in a typically unsubtle, Versace-esque way.
The design also gives a weird sense of it spilling out upwards from between Frank's legs
and engulfing his nether regions, tentacle fashion.
Frank's upper body musculature is also worth a closer look in this picture.
The lighting has drawn out the nakedness of his shaved torso in a very striking way
It looks like a hint of puppy fat, suggesting both inexperience and exposure.
Frank himself looks down, doubtful about it all.
This picture strikes a more conventional note showing off Frank's masculine assets
in a more natural way with the glimpse of pubes and hint of 'growback'.
in a more natural way with the glimpse of pubes and hint of 'growback'.
The aqua colour co-ordination sets off his tan very nicely, it's a hint of sophistication in this deserted urban backwater, but the lowered (at the back) swimming trunks and untied, 'spurting' drawstrings coupled with suggestive frontal shadowing send an earthier message.
James Franklin 'Boystown Series'
James Franklin 'Boystown Series'
It's no surprise that jockstraps love this model's body.
Although the colours here are high fashion, there's a sense of energetic work going on here,
accentuated by the bare walls and model's tousled hair.
Although the colours here are high fashion, there's a sense of energetic work going on here,
accentuated by the bare walls and model's tousled hair.
The surprised pose suggests discovery, intrusion and threat. Nice.
They used to say 'Think Bike' but I'm not sure they meant this.
Imaginative minds can toy with the sensuality of flesh on leather
and just-visible erotic details like the jock-bulge and buttock cleavage,
but the overwhelming impression is of a brooding, hairy giant.
Frank Carter has a giant-like look in this picture too, thanks to his elevated position and great boots.
Near-naked hikers standing on a rock top are always going to seem intimidating in desolate, remote locations. More endearing is the impression of poor eyesight and timid underwear flashing.
Outstretched arms against a black wall hint at darker, crucifixion imagery, which the casual placing of the right foot flat to the wall does not quite dispel. The model's lean, detailed torso and skimpy trunks also seem eerily appropriate. But it's also a confident pose exuding strength and self-assurance.
This picture of Frank Carter by Jorge Friere.
The up stretched arms in this picture also call bondage scenarios to my mind.
They also highlight the minimal covering provided by the skimpy underwear
whose buttock shaping capabilities are admirable,
not that this model needs much help in that department.
whose buttock shaping capabilities are admirable,
not that this model needs much help in that department.
I like the story this picture tells.
The model opens a very conventional white shirt to reveal a hairless torso underneath
and some very unconventional white briefs with see-through panels in strategic places.
Imagine a group of tipsy office workers in a bar, a dare, a bet and suddenly Frank finds himself having to reveal a weakness for kinky underwear. His facial expression shows he's not quite sure what reception this will get from his fellow workers.
Photo by Paul Jamnicky
This picture by Joee Vee reinvents Frank as a sexy, 'nice guy'
(although you know what they say about men who don't wear underpants).
The reversed cap and trimmed beard narrows his face to a more youthful shape
and there's also a delightful naivety in the wall-leaning pose and open top button of his jeans.
The open denim jacket makes your hands itch to get inside and hold that lean torso.
This is a naked as Frank gets but it does not disappoint.
This pose of nude man on spacious white bed is a speciality of Joee Vee
It's surprisingly erotic, recreating the classic 'baby's first picture' scenario
with the adult baby here looking slightly embarrassed about it all.
Monday, 27 May 2019
Sunday, 26 May 2019
Saturday, 25 May 2019
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